Fire May Have Been Started On Outside Of Buildings

NEW BEDFORD — The New Bedford Fire Department responded to calls of a multi-building fire on Granfield Street in the city's north end just before 3 p.m. on Monday.

New Bedford Fire Chief Michael Gomes says the cause of the fire at 9 and 11 Granfield St. is still under investigation, but appears to have been started outside of one of the two homes.

"We're still investigating the point of origin of the fire, but it looks like it was started on the outside one of the buildings," explained Gomes. "It doesn't seem suspicious at this point, but the cause is still under investigation."

Gomes says that a total of 15 people from both residences have been displaced by the fire and that three occupants of 11 Granfield Street were transported to the hospital with injuries resulting from the blaze. He also says that no firefighters were injured while containing the flames. The medical condition of the three 11 Granfield St. occupants is still unknown.

Additional support was provided by the Acushnet, Fairhaven, and Dartmouth Fire Departments, who assisted in using three ladder trucks with hoses suspended from the top of each ladder to put out the blaze.

Due to the large emergency response to the fire, access to North Front Street, Beetle Street, and Coggeshall Street were all backed up. Authorities shut down road access leading to the fire while emergency crews responded.

Onlookers watch the New Bedford Fire Department fight to contain the multi-building fire from a parking lot on Beetle Street. Tim Dunn/TSM

One of the three ladder trucks used to fight the fire used an empty parking lot on North Front Street to gain an angle to the fire. Tim Dunn/TSM

The New Bedford Fire Department battles the multi-building fire. Two fire fighters are on the roof of one building, while three ladder trucks with hoses are used to contain the fire. Tim Dunn/TSM